Who
by CeliaEquus
Summary: Fifth and final instalment of the 'Five Ws' series. They can technically all stand alone, but are more fun to read in order. Hermione, during labour and post-labour, with support from her loving, and very OOC, husband. Enjoy! Usual disclaimers apply.


"Who"

July, July, July. Why _that_ month, out of all twelve from which to choose? _Why_?

He growled. It was difficult to admit it to himself. The eight months had passed… in an interesting manner. Having never been around a pregnant woman before—and certainly not for the entire gestation period—he was… would 'nervous' be too weak a word?

Because of the unpredictability and strength of Hermione's wandless magic, Severus had been banished from the maternity wing of St. Mungo's. He was having to wait in the fathers' room, which was warded from outside magic. In the early days, witches had been known—either accidentally or on purpose—to castrate the baby's father while in labour. They had discussed it, and had agreed that they would want at least two more children. Therefore, it was imperative to keep Severus'… um, to keep him safe.

Unfortunately, that meant that he had to rely on a scrying glass to watch the birth of his first child.

* * *

"I will _kill_ him!" Hermione shrieked. "Yeah, yeah," she added to the midwife, who kept insisting that she push. She let out a scream, and wished she knew where to look so that she could look straight into her husband's eyes through the scrying crystal. He'd been a spy for the Dark Lord? Well, he would learn the _real_ meaning of fear after this.

"Another push, Mrs. Snape," the medi-witch said. Hermione sent her a scathing look, one worthy of her husband. "Just one more."

"You said that three… pushes… ago!" she replied. Funny. Until today, she'd never known that it was possible to scream words through gritted teeth. This academic thought distracted her from the pain enough for her to give a big push.

"The head's out, Mrs. Snape. Just one more really _will_ do it."

"Why didn't Severus—that _git_—give you some bloody Veritaserum before he let you loose on me, you harlot?"

"You can do it, Mrs. Snape! Just _push_!"

"All right!"

* * *

They had discussed names for the baby. If it was a girl, they were going to call her Amalea Hermione Snape; and if they had a boy, it would be Cordis Severus Snape. He wondered whether he would have a son to train, or a daughter to protect. He couldn't decide which idea appealed to him more.

"Just let it be healthy," he murmured, sighing where he sat.

He heard his young wife yell again, but this one sounded the worst, the most painful, so far. Leaping to his feet, Severus darted to the scrying crystal, his worried eyes connecting with his wife's, as she finally seemed to sense his gaze in the right place. While they weren't in each other's presence, their hearts still jumped when they saw each other. Hermione, without breaking eye contact, let out another piercing scream, closing her eyes in relief when the baby was finally out. Severus tore his eyes away from the sight of his exhausted wife, to see his child. He couldn't tell anything from here.

Was it safe to leave the room yet?

"Severus!" Hermione called, lying back on the pillows. "Get your…"

"Mrs. Snape…"

"…self in here. _Now_."

He gulped.

"It's quite safe, Professor Snape," the Healer said, looking up from the baby. "Your wife's too tired to harm you now." Hermione smiled sheepishly, and looked over at her new son or daughter, happy but anxious. Severus left the room in a great hurry. Before he could arrive in the delivery room, the medi-witch smacked the baby, which let out a loud cry, and proceeded to wail. Its father was there in seconds, by his wife's side.

"Please," Hermione whispered, holding out her arms. She could barely keep them up, but desperately wanted to hold her baby. _Their_ baby. She smiled up at Severus, who gave her a gentle smile back, before lifting her back away from the pillows. He half-sat on the bed behind her, supporting her arms with his; it was in this position that they held their baby for the first time.

"A boy," they were told.

"Cordis Severus Snape," Hermione said. She leaned back in her husband's arms.

"I hate to broach the subject just now," Severus said, and she stiffened, "but I'd still like a daughter as well."

"We'll see," she muttered.

"In a number of years, of course."

"That had better be the case."

"Hermione?"

"Hmm?"

"I love you," he said, and he kissed her right ear.

"I love you, too," she said. "And little Cordis."

"I'll fill out the birth certificate, if you like," Severus offered, and Hermione nodded. He helped her lie back on the pillows, making sure that she felt secure enough holding their son. With the speed of a practised teacher, he filled out the form, so that Hermione only had to sign it. Once that was done—and legible enough for the Ministry of Magic—he pulled up a chair beside his family. He wasn't in _too_ much of a hurry for a daughter. After all, he had a wife to look after, and his son would need just as much protection for many years to come.

"Shall I alert your family and friends?" a nurse asked.

"Yes, please," Hermione said. "My parents will want to know. You can contact them by floo."

"And Hogwarts," Severus added. "Also…" He sighed. "I suppose you want your friends notified?"

"Of course," she replied, smiling tiredly. "Severus? Will you wait with me?"

He magically expanded the bed, and lay down next to her.

"Don't allow anyone to disturb us until she's awake again," he threatened the medi-witch, who merely rolled her eyes.

"That goes without saying, sir," she said.

"Severus; they know what they're doing," Hermione said, admonishing him.

"Hmph."

* * *

A few hours later, Hermione finally woke up, only to find that her husband had taken their son into his arms at some stage, presumably to stop her from squashing. Cordis hadn't taken too long to fall asleep once his parents had started talking to him, their voices low and soothing, telling him all about Hogwarts, and introducing themselves.

"Good evening," Severus whispered to Hermione once he noticed that she was awake. She smiled, gave him a tender kiss, and he handed their child back to her. She snuggled back into his arms. Someone had been watching for movement, and the door to the delivery room burst open.

"Well?" Harry asked as he and Ron barged into the room, their own families following behind, as well as the Weasley clan, the Grangers, and half of the Hogwarts staff. Various members of the Order of the Phoenix were also there, and some of Hermione's old schoolmates.

"Let her rest," Severus growled, feeling somewhat threatened by the crowd of people.

"Quiet," Hermione said, grinning. "And that goes for the rest of you."

"So?" Ginny whispered. "Who is it?"

"Who?"

"Yes! What's the baby's name?"

"His name is Cordis," Hermione said, smiling bashfully. "It's Latin for 'heart'."

"Well, I had to grow one sometime, didn't I?" Severus muttered, pulling his wife and son closer to him, his possessive and protective side surfacing.

"Indeed you did," Minerva said, smiling at her two former pupils looking so happy and fulfilled. "Congratulations."

"We're grandparents," Mr. Granger said, holding his wife close. Mrs. Granger had tears in her eyes.

"So," Ron said, standing up straight, his chest slightly puffed out. "Who will it be?"

"Who will _what_ be?" Severus sneered, using his best Professor voice, and arching an eyebrow for added effect.

"Who's going to be godfather?" Harry clarified. Hermione stiffened, and her husband noticed. She was itching to go for her wand, but it was too far away. Instead, he withdrew his own very surreptitiously, and placed it, unobserved, into her right hand, which was hidden by the blanket still tightly wound around their son.

"I've just gone through hours of painful labour," she said quietly, and every woman in the room backed off a few steps, as did all of the husbands, "and you want to know which of you is supposed to have the honour of being godfather? Out!" she shouted, revealing Severus' wand, which had become attuned to her through their marital bond. Harry and Ron left quick sharp, and everyone else had to hold in their sniggers.

"Well done, my darling," Severus murmured into her hair soothingly. He took back his wand, storing it in its usual concealed pocket. "So… who _will_ be the godparents?"

"We'll decide 'who' later," she said. "For now," and she settled back in his arms, "just hold me. Hold… hold _us_."

**

* * *

**

Aw! Sappy ending to this five-part series. I really wanted to work 'who' into the last sentence, but was having trouble. I just hope the end doesn't feel… stilted because of this. Hmm. I'm planning to use the name Amalea for my cross-over story, so please don't get confused between the two of them.

**Oh, and Sirius and Remus are included in the Order of the Phoenix, so they were there as well. Presumably, since rooms can be magically expanded, they don't have such restrictions as we do when it comes to… visitor capacity, shall we say? Hmm.**

**Review, please!**


End file.
